Pumpkin Cheesecake
Homemade graham cracker crust, filled with rich, creamy, pumpkin spice cheesecake, topped with whipped cream and pecans. The ultimate pumpkin dessert!!
Servings: 10
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1 c. graham cracker crumbs
- 3 T. butter or margarine melted
- 2 T. granulated sugar
PUMPKIN FILLING:
- 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese softened
- 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 (16 oz.) can 100% pure pumpkin
- 3/4 c. sour cream
- 2 T. bourbon or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 lg. eggs
SOUR CREAM TOPPING:
- 1 c. sour cream
- 3 T. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- CRUST: In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar with a fork, until moistened. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly wrap the outside of the pan with foil to prevent leakage when baking in a water bath later. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- PUMPKIN FILLING: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in sugar until blended, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl often with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, beat in pumpkin, sour cream, bourbon or vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust and place in a large roasting pan. Place pan on oven rack. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come one inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center, barely jiggles.
- SOUR CREAM TOPPING: In a small bowl, with a whisk, beat sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until blended. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, leaving the water bath in the oven. Spread the sour cream mixture evenly over the top. Return cake to water bath and bake 5 minutes longer. Remove cheesecake from water bath to wire rack, discard foil. With a small knife, loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan to help prevent cracking during cooling. Cool cheesecake completely. Unhook the latch to release the bottom of the pan and remove the side.
- Cover the cooled cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, garnish with a dollop of whipping cream and pecan halves.
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